Improvement in ordnance



6 SheetsSheet l T. J. MAYALL.

Machine Gun.

Patented Nov. 27. 1860.

6 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. J. MAYALL.

Paben Led Nov. 27.

Machine Gun.

7777mm Wyn/ 22" 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

"Patented Nov. 27. 1860.

5 s-Sheet 4 2 @K R W5 T f mv/ /& 4, f

Sheens-Sheep 5.

T. J .MAYALL.

Machine Gun No. 30.742. Patented Nov. 27. 1860.

6 SheeLs-Sheet 6 T. J. MAYALL.

Machine Gun.

Pabented Nov. 27 1860.

FI Z/way.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. MAYALL, OF ROXBUR-Y, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT m ORDNANCE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 30,742, dated November 27, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. MAYALL, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ordnance for Field-Pieces,Vessels, Batteries, Fortifications, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, hereinafter. referred to, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvements, by which my invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as Iclaim and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

The figures of the accompanying plate of drawings represent my improvements.

Figure 1, Plate 1, is a plan or top view of my improved ordnance used for fieldpieces, batteries, fortifications, Sac. Fig.2 Plate 1, and Fig. 3, Plate 2, are side elevations of the same. Fig. 4, Plate 2, is a central longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 5, Plate 3, is an end view. Fig. 6, Plate 3, is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of line A B, Fig. 1, Plate 1. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, Plate 3, are detail views, to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

I have heretofore made separate application for Letters Patent for certain new and useful improvements in ordnance used for field-pieces, batteries, fortifications, 850., which improvements consisted in performing all the functions necessary for the firing of cannon, &c., by any motor, such as steam,-hand-power,&c., automatically.

The present invention consists in a different and peculiar arrangement of mechanical devices, whereby the same results can be accomplished-via, the complete performance of every function necessary for the proper loading, firing, swabbing out, 800., of I cannon used for field-pieces, batteries, and fortifications by the aid of mechanical means.

A A A in the drawings represent a base, such as the deck of a vessel, &c;. B B, a plat= form or carriage supported on four wheels, 0 C O 0, having elastic tires of rubber, guttapercha, or other suitable material.

' It has been found, particularly on board of ships, to beastzurce of inaccuracy in firing;-

and as gr .atlyi erferringwith the taking aim,-

when, in consequence of a succession of discharges of the guns, the jarsor vibrations imparted to the ship areso great as to cause it heavily to roll from one side to the other. To obviate or at least.to reduce or decrease the vibrations thus imparted to the ship, I interpose between the deck and the wheels an elastic or yielding substance by providing said wheels with an india-rnbber or gutta-percha ,.tire, as shown.

Upon the carriage B B is placed, so as to swing around upon the same upon suitable friction-rollers, a circular plate, D D,'the standards E E of which serve as bearingsito the stationary axles F F of a frame, G G, which serves to support the gun-barrel H H and its revolving cylinder I I, and is susceptible of being raised and depressed and set at any desired angle with the horizon, turning loosely on. the axles F F by means of devices the operation of which will be hereinafter described. The cylinder I I has formed in it a series of chambers, J J, &c., and has an intermittent rotary -motion ina vertical plane imparted to it, so as to bring each of the chambers J J &c., in opposition with the gun-barrel as follows:

K K in the drawings represent a drivingshaft having a conical-shaped pulley, L, and lateral sliding clutch M operating together, so as to produce any desired amount of speed. A band or belt moving by steam or horse power can be applied to the clutch M,- or the main shaft may be driven by hand-power.

On the end of the driving-shaft K K is a gear-wheel, N, which, by means. of an intermediate gear, 0, communicates motion to -a gear-wheel, P, the cluster of gears N, O, and P being connected by toggle or swinging arms Q It R, turning loosely on bearings at S, T, and U. By'thus connecting and supporting the gears N, O, and P it will be seen that the two gears 0 and P can be brought nearer to the gear N or travel away from the same, as the case may be, without disengaging any one of them from the others. The importance of this arrangement of gearing will be evident, as it permits the main carriage B B to travel freely in a longitudinal direction when the recoil and resetting take place without disconfleeting the devices which communicate motion from the driving-shaft. The gear P is on one end of a-horizontal shaft, U U, extendingunder the carriage B B, on the other end ear/as it which is a bevel-gear, W, that engages with a similar gear, X, on the lower end of a short vertical shaft, Y, that passes upward loosely ,,through the carriage B B and center of' the circular plate D D, and has on its upper end a bevel-gear, Z, that engages with a similar gear, it, placed on ahorizontal transverse shaft, F, turning loosely in proper hearings in the standards E E of the "inging frame G G and circular plate D D. On this shaft 1* there is also-another bevel-gear, c, that engages with a bevel-gear, (I, placed on the horizontal and longitudinal shaft 6, turning loosely ingproper bearings formed in the swinging frame.

011 the longitudinal shaft e is a stud,f, the office of which is ,to disengage at proper intervals of time, by means of a series of levers, g h 1', against one of which, the said stud f abuts, a spring-clutch, 3', from a series of holes in the many-chambered cylinder or magazine II, the said spring-clutch j, when not thus disengaged, serving to firmly hold'the cylinder I in position while being loaded, &c.

On the longitudinal shaft 0 is a. projection, 7:, which, as the shaft revolves, abuts against and moves a lever-pawl, Z m, swinging upon a fulcrum, 91-, having 'ts length of motion regulatcd by a stop, 0, nd kept down to its bearing'up'on the shafte byaspring,p. The spring pawl, m, is thus made to engage at intervals with a ratchet-wheel, q, placed on the shaft 1', having bearings in standards 8 s of the swinging frame G, with the magazine I I, which will -thus receive an intermittent rotary motion.

'\ I will next'pro'ceedto describe the manner in givhich the several sections or chambers J J, &c.,'of the cylinder I I are loaded or charged with suitable cartridges, it being premised that the same movements which cause the several chambers or sections J J, &c., to be brought 'in opposition to the gun-barrel also cause the several sectionsor chambers to be brought in'succession in proper position for the insertion of cartridges.

To the crank-shaft t t, on the horizontal transverse-shaft F F, before referred to, is attached, so as to turn loosely thereon, a connecting-rod, a a. The connecting-rod a eugages at or near one end with a short shaft, 1;, of the traveling carriage in, which thereby receives a r'eciprocatin g rectilinear motion. At-

.tached to the traveling carriage, or forming a part thereof, is a hollow tube or shaft, x, within which plays the rammer 3 that receives the same motion as the traveling carriage w, so that the charges or cartridges, being fed into a suitablehopper, y, will at the proper time be driven into the several chambers of'the magazine.

' In casefrom any accident the contents of any one chamber of the magazine should fail to be discharged, the rammer 3 is prevented from driving in another cartridge by the rear end of its shaft A abutting against an arm,

B, turning upon a center at 0, so as to disengage the connecting-rod a u from the short shaft '0 of the sliding carriage w,-above referred to, the rammer 3 and arm 13 being retracted by means of springs D and E, one of which is coiled around the shaft A, inside of the hollow-tube or shaft 0:, and the other around. the center or shaft 0 of the arm B.

Simultaneously with the loading or charging of one of the chambers J another one of the said chambers J is being sponged or swabbed out by means of devices substantially similar to those which have been described for loading or charging the several chambers with cartridges.

F is the crank-shaft, attached to the hori -zontalshaft F, before referred to; G, connecting-rod; H", theslidiug carriage; I, hollow tube of the carriage H, and in which plays a sponger or swabber, K, having areci irocating rectilinear motion imparted to it by the revolution of the shaft F, will travel in and out of the several chambers J J, 850., and thereby cleanse each .chamber successively upon the revolution of the magazine.

L is a spring coiled upon the shaft M; N, an arm turning upon a center at 0. against which arm N the rear end of the shaft M of the sponger K abuts in case of the non-disc arge of any one chamber J, which thereby lifts and disconnects the connecting-rod G. from the short shaft P of the sliding'carriage J, the springs L and Q, thelatter coiled upon the center or turning fulcrum of the arm N, serving to retract the sponger K and arm N The discharge of each chamber successively is provided for by means of a cam-projection, R, upon the shaft 6 before referred to, which upon the revolution of the shaft abuts against an arm, S, turning on apivot at T of a standard, U, ot'the swinging frame Gr, thereby causing at proper intervals of time a rod, V, to enter through a thumbing-platafi, the touchholes X X, 850., of each chamber or section, which are successively brought in opposition the said red by the previonsly-described revolution of the magazine or cylinder. The rod TV is retracted after entering each touchhole X by means of a bent spring, Y against which the lower part of the arm S hears. At the moment that the rod V enters the touchhole of each chamber of the magazine a spark of electricity is sent through the said red by the aid of a suitable battery attached to one end ofthe same. The thumbing of each touchhole after every discharge is eifeetcd by a stationary thumbing-plate, W, against which the cylinder or magazine, by means of a ground or other tight join-t, has a close bearing during its revolution, so as to stop all vent ofthe same and prevent a premature discharge. The thumbi ugplate can also be furnished with rubberor other elastic projections orpacking, which upon the revolution of the cylinder or magazine will closely fit over the several touch-holes.

Provision is made for the elevation and depression of the gun, and also for the setting of the gun at any desired angle horizontally with regard to the carriage B B, whereby projectiles can be discharged in every desired direction, either parallel with or inclined to the liori: zon, as follows: .v Z Z is a vertical screw passing through a rocker-shaft, a, ofthe rear portion-oi theswinging frame G, so that upon turning a' nut, 11, to the right or'left, the swinging frame, and consequently the gun-barrel, magazine, &c., will be elevated ordepressed, The screwshaft Z Z is secured in'such .a manner as to eling carriage is set and held at any desired position upon the toothed are by means of a wedge-shaped sliding red, h, which, upon a for ward motion being imparted to it, causes a strap, 'i to bear upward against the shoulders ijof a grooved way, It, upon which the car riage bears. The strap 2" is disengaged from the shoulders j by the pulling-outofthewedgeshaped rod h.

In the accompanying drawings the gun'is" represented as being susceptible of traveling horizontally upon a portion 'ofrthe arc of a circle; ing the toothed are so as'to form a complete circle the gun can be made to travel around the entire circumference thereof. I

Erom the foregoing description it will be seen tl at the guiding or steering of. the gun so as to discharge projectiles in'every possible directidn can be readily effected during the time of and without interrupting the various operations of loading, discharging,j&c.-

T9 piovide for the recoil of the gun so as'to reset'it in the exact position which it occupied previons'to a discharge, I attach to each end of the gun-carriage B B powerful rubheror 'other springs, Z l, 850., so arranged and operating that both their tension and compression will act equally upon the-gun-carriage. These springs I prefer toconstruct as follows:' m m, 820., are cross-heads, .which -r slide freely upon side bars, nn, &c. These bars are connectedto an eye, 1) p, which is fitted o'ver'a suitable standard, q q. lhe heads m m bear upon the ends of a hollow elastic cylinder of indierubber, 1*, or

but it will be obvious-that by continuriage and beaccnratel'y other suitable material. Through the center of the spring 1" and through the cross-heads passes a rod, 8, loop that is fastened to the gun-carriage B. t t, &c., are washers of india-rubber. It will be seen thatby this arrangement the gun in recoiling willbe acted upon so as to accurately reset itby adouble force--viz., thatjot' the expansive force of the compressed-springs at each end of the gun-carriage.

Having thus described my improvements in -ordnance,'I-shall state my claims as follows:

1. In combination with the swinging frame supporting the cannon, as described, transverse braces provided with suitable bearings for so holdingthe shaft operating the auto matic machinery herein referred to as that its said-machinery shall not be proper relation to disturbed by any movement imparted to the cannon, substantially asset forth.

2. The'arrangement of the threelevers 9 hi relatively to each other, in combination with.

the studded shafte, impartingto and the spring- I clutch f receivin g from saidlevers the requisite motions whereby at proper intervals of time the breech is firmly grasped and released, snb stantially as described, and for the purposes 4 herein set forth.

3. Arranging u pou one and the same crank shaft,- t either side of the barrel, connectingrods for operating the devices forautomaticallyiloading and s'wabbing the chambers of the breech, essentially assetfor'th.

4. The arrangement and application of the.-

several devices for automatically revolving and locking the breech, firing and thumbing its chambers with respect to onecommon camshaft, substantially as described, so. that the said device's sh all all be operated by said camshaft in perfect unison and with unfailing curacy, as set forth; i t v 5. The arrangement of springs of equal power and capable of compression and tension at either end-of the platform, whereby the gun in recoiling will be acted upon equally and simultaneously-at eachle'xtremity of thecarthe next discharge. v

I jTflos Jt'MaYgp terminating in a reset iii-position for 

